Broccoli Peanut Raisin Salad

This recipe isn't a new creation. This recipe has been around. It's great for picnics, cookouts (as long as you don't leave it out too long) or for everyday. It's cool, crisp and fresh with a little sweetness and a little tang. And it has passed the three-year-old's approval.



Broccoli Peanut Raisin Salad (adapted from my mom's recipe)

5 cups raw broccoli florets, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup roasted peanuts (salted is fine)
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp. vinegar

Place broccoli florets and raisins into a medium-sized bowl. In a smaller bowl, combine mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar. Pour over broccoli and raisins and combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve (you can easily make it a day ahead). Add peanuts and stir them in just before serving. Pin It

An Important Reminder: Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

I shared the recipe for this cake back in February when I made it for Sam and Sadie's birthdays. It tasted great and was a hit even though we were all eating ice cream cake in sweaters and socks (not just sweaters and socks, silly).

I wanted to remind you of this dessert while it's hot outside (and inside if your house is like ours). Ice cream is the sweet we should all be enjoying now, right?


Most of the recipes I share here are made from scratch because that is the way I prefer to cook and bake. This one is the complete opposite. Every ingredient is bought from a store. Not even one can be found at the farmer's market (at least not ours). It calls for 4 ingredients and takes minutes to assemble.


I'm also talking about it again because I made three of them for my sister's bridal shower this past weekend. I made one according to the original recipe I shared. I tried a different twist with the other two. Instead of caramel sundae topping and chopped peanut butter cups, I used chocolate sundae topping and crushed oreo cookies in one and strawberry sundae topping, sliced bananas and crushed oreos in the other.

There are endless possibilities here, friends. Let your hair down, toss it about and think up your own tasty version. Then invite some friends over (you really shouldn't eat this all yourself... even though you'll want to) and enjoy! Pin It

A Blueberry Gold Mine

Our family's chance at blueberries (blue gold) this year could have been bleak. Very bleak. As in no blueberries bleak since our local blueberry farm had a dismal crop.


Instead, we find ourselves in quite the opposite situation. My great Uncle (when he was still living) owned a beautiful farm. It was the farm where he and my Grandma grew up. The farm is still in the family, though the farmhouse is rented out. Back behind the white farmhouse, behind the big, old, red barn (I love barns) lies a wonderful blueberry patch that my great uncle planted years and years ago. Many people in the family know about this patch and many of them share it's location with friends along with the invitation to come pick, but still the berries hang on in bunches- many more than get picked each year (or eaten by the birds). Every summer my parents pick blueberries here and they, along with others, help to maintain it.


We deliberately added a day to our recent trip for the sole purpose of picking blueberries. Last year, I picked 11 quarts from a local farm. I thought 11 quarts would be enough if I rationed them, but I was wrong. We love blueberries. We use them in baked oatmeal, pancakes, muffins, desserts, on ice cream and eaten fresh or frozen on their own.



This year? We surpassed our 11 quarts by picking 44 (quarts). My mom and dad helped (thank you!). Miriam slept in the baby carrier worn by my mom. Sam picked some, ate some and then played in the van. Sadie picked some, ate handfuls (sometimes directly from the large broilers of already picked blueberries) and sang 'Deep and Wide' with my Dad over the bushes.


We laid the blueberries out overnight so they could ripen a bit more. Although this doesn't seem like it will make much of a difference, it does cause the bluish-purple almost ripe berries to ripen up fully.


Freezing Blueberries

Lay blueberries out on trays no more than two or three layers deep for one to two days to allow them to all ripen fully. If I know they haven't been sprayed, I place the ripened blueberries directly into plastic containers and freeze.

If need be, place them into a colander and run water over them to rinse them. Allow them to drain. Spread them out on clean dish towels so they dry a bit, then fill your containers. Use them directly from the freezer in baked goods (including pancakes). No need to thaw them. Pin It

Favors

We just spent the past week visiting family. It was a wonderful time, divided between Jamey's family and mine. Miriam was introduced to family members she had not yet met, the kids played at a science museum, rode on their Grandpa's tractor train, played with cousins, watched for fireflies and deer, were thrown (repeatedly) up into the air, were pushed on swings, ate sweets and felt the love of many.

While all of this would have (clearly) been enough of a reason to travel, our main purpose for venturing out of state for Miriam's first time was to help surprise my sister with a wedding shower. She will be married this September. I've talked about her wedding favors before, but today I want to show you her shower favors.

My dear sister-in-law and her sister made these. They were amazing, both in appearance and flavor. I cannot say enough about these cookies. Take a look.



My sister's husband-to-be is a builder.




My sister was surprised by over 30 friends and family members. There were hugs, visiting, passing of babies, eating and a few shed tears by the overwhelmed and happy bride-to-be. My little sister is getting married.... Pin It

Garden Poetry

Garden Meditations
by Rev. Max Coots

Let us give thanks for a bounty of people.
     
For children who are our second planting, and though they
grow like weeds and the wind too soon blows them away, may
they forgive us our cultivation and fondly remember where
their roots are.
     
Let us give thanks;
     
For generous friends...with hearts...and smiles as bright
as their blossoms;
     
For feisty friends, as tart as apples;
     
For continuous friends, who, like scallions and cucumbers,
keep reminding us that we've had them;
     
For crotchety friends, sour as rhubarb and as indestructible;
     
For handsome friends, who are as gorgeous as eggplants and
as elegant as a row of corn, and the others, as plain as
potatoes and so good for you;
     
For funny friends, who are as silly as Brussels sprouts and
as amusing as Jerusalem artichokes;
     
And serious friends as unpretentious as cabbages, as subtle
as summer squash, as persistent as parsley, as delightful as
dill, as endless as zucchini and who, like parsnips, can be
counted on to see you through the winter;
     
For old friends, nodding like sunflowers in the evening-time,
and young friends coming on as fast as radishes;
     
For loving friends, who wind around us like tendrils and hold
us, despite our blights, wilts and witherings;
     
And finally, for those friends now gone, like gardens past
that have been harvested, but who fed us in their times that
we might have life thereafter.
     
For all these we give thanks.

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I'm Begging You

Last summer I shared with you my favorite summer sandwich. I know some of you tried it and I know some of you did not. Don't be scared. Just try it. If you don't like it, fine. But, just think. If you wait one more day to try this sandwich (and you like it) you'll have lived one day less without knowing it's deliciousness. You can call me a sandwich pusher if you want. I won't be offended. I like it that much. And, yes, I know I'm a little weird.

I horded one of our first two tomatoes all to myself for this baby and it was worth it.

Tomato, Peanut Butter and Mayonnaise Sandwich

2 slices toasted whole wheat bread
1 fresh, vine-ripened tomato (store-bought, mealy, pink tomatoes will not do)
mayonnaise
peanut butter (creamy or chunky- you're choice)

Spread one slice of toasted bread with peanut butter and the other with mayonnaise. Lay the sliced tomato on one slice and place the other slice on top. Cut the sandwich in half and then go find a quiet corner of the house to eat your sandwich where no little people can come disturb your enjoyment.

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Problem Solved: Curried Green Beans and Potatoes

Alright, it wasn't that big of a problem, having fresh green beans and potatoes on hand to use. But it was a little bit of a problem. For me, anyway. I'm strange this way.

The 'problem' became less of a problem the night friends had us over for dinner. They served a green bean and potato dish that I really liked. Really, really liked. And, now, just in case you're strange this way, too, (or even if you are not) I will share it with you.


Curried Beans and Potatoes (adapted from Simply In Season)
Serves 4-6

Curried Beans and Potatoes (adapted from Simply In Season)
Serves 4-6

3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. dried mustard
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2 tsp. curry
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 medium potato, chopped into small, bite-sized peices
4 cups green beans (whole or cut)
water
salt

Heat oil in medium frypan over medium-high heat. When hot, add dried mustard add garlic. Stir for a minute until garlic turns golden.  Add pepper, turmeric, curry, and potatoes and stir, sauteing for a few minutes. Add green beans and combine. Next, add small amounts of water to keep from everything from sticking and to allow the vegetables to steam, covering with the lid, but stirring often to see if more water is needed.  When potatoes are tender, increase heat to evaporate remaining liquid.  Salt to taste.  Serve immediately. Pin It

Gingered Broccoli: Broccoli With A Punch

I've already shared here how thrilled we are to have grown broccoli (well) for the first time this year. The other day, we brought in another head and I was happy to try a recipe I've had in my binder for at least a few years. It has been sitting there quietly waiting for us to grow broccoli so it could make itself useful.

I think it must have been thrilled to be pulled out if it's clear sleeve and laid on the counter beside a bowl of freshly picked, washed and chopped broccoli.

It was also, I'm sure, thrilled to have us enjoy the result of it's instructions and even more so to be shared here. This dish has kick. It's bold. It's delicious. It's no plain, steamed broccoli, so look out.

Gingered Broccoli (Moosewood Restaurant Cookbook)

1 head broccoli, cut into spears
1 tbsp. grated ginger root (I used the same amount minced ginger from a jar)
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tbsp. hoisin sauce or sugar (I used brown sugar)
2 tbsp. soy sauce

Combine all ingredients except broccoli in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add broccoli spears. Cover and steam 7-10 minutes or until broccoli is tender, stirring occasionally. Serve with sauce drizzled over top.

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Basil Pesto

It's that time of year- pesto time. Even though I still have a gallon bag full of pesto cubes in the freezer, I made more.


I just want to be very sure we don't run out. It would be a sad day to be without pesto.


You can find pictures from last year and the recipe I use here. Our favorite ways of using pesto are with pasta, on pizza and in panini sandwiches.



Sadie helped me this year. Sam only lasted through the plucking-of-the-basil-leaves stage. He had more important things to do. Like installing a ventilation system in his fort. I wasn't going to make him stop to help.


Sadie thoroughly enjoyed running the food processor and feeling the vibration.


She also thoroughly enjoyed licking the spatula and bowl clean. Raw garlic and all. That's my girl.


I freeze pesto in ice cube trays (and later pop them out into bags) and in the bulk parmesan cheese containers (about 1 1/2 cups each). This is all the pesto I will make this year (7 cups), but I will keep several of our plants from flowering so I can use more basil to make pesto tortes once I have roasted tomatoes on hand. We ate all of our roasted tomatoes this year.

And it was a sad day when I discovered that.

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My First Anniversary

One year ago today I started blogging. I was inspired by a very good friend of mine, Mama JJ. Some of you may read her blog. If you don't, you should.

I started out sharing about my days and images of what surrounded me, chronicling our excitement as our first batch of chicks arrived, documenting a trip to Western Maryland and writing down my thoughts about how Jamey and I make a good team.

I have written a lot more since then, although there were seasons when I didn't blog. This past fall, for example, when I was in the throws of morning sickness (morning, noon and night) and again last month when our second baby girl came into this world. I'm realizing I have to be flat on my back (or hanging my head over the toilet) for me not to write....

When I started this blog, I didn't realize how much I would need and enjoy the outlet that writing is for me. I've attempted journals over the years having been inspired and encouraged by my grandmothers. One kept a diary for most of her adult life. The other wished she had. She said she often forgot dates, places, trips, etc. that she now wishes she could remember or at least read about. I never lasted but more than a few weeks at each of my occasional journaling attempts.

A year ago I was worried I wouldn't have enough to write about to make this worthwhile. I would write a couple posts and think, "I have nothing else to write about. This didn't last long." Within a couple days, I'd have 3 or 4 or 5 ideas bopping around in my head and off I'd go again, often writing about our day-to-day life, our projects and our pursuit to grow much of our own food.

This is how I continue, especially these days with a baby thrown into the mix. Writing. Thinking I'm at a loss for what to write next. Being flooded with ideas. Writing again. I've learned to relax into it, to not panic, to look forward to what will come next- both in life and here.

One day, I will read these words in the distant future and encourage my kids to do the same. These will be glimpses of what our lives were like these full, blessed days. Reminders of how lucky and fortunate we were (and are) to have each other and all we've been given.

On this little anniversary of mine, I wanted to say that I'm honored to have you read along with us. You are mulch on my garden (or, if you prefer a food analogy over a gardening one, 'icing on my cake').

Thank you. Pin It

July Garden

It occurred to me that it's been awhile since I've posted garden pictures. Some of you could probably care less, so if you are one of those people, come back tomorrow. So sorry to disappoint.

Our first successful attempt at broccoli

We had great rain this spring and early summer, but it's been pretty dry lately. We haven't had water in our back (near the garden) cistern in awhile. It's times like these that we are glad we mulch heavily with straw/hay/grass clippings. Mulching this way isn't without it's flaws. Sometimes seeds sneak in with the hay and introduce new weeds. Sometimes it's a bit of a pain to plant in (because you have to move it all aside to get to the soil).

basil and some of the onions

Overall, though, it has worked well for us- keeping moisture in, weeds down (or at least in moister soil, so they can be pulled easier), providing non-muddy paths for walking and breaking down into organic matter that adds to the richness of our soil. Once the chickens are allowed in the garden in the fall, they scratch the decaying mulch into the soil along with their gifts of fertilizer, assisting in the process. To me, the pros win out over the cons big time.

one of the carrot beds, a lone chard plant and sunflowers in the back

It does look different. And, at least to Jamey, who grew up in Amish country, it takes a bit of getting used to. You can't see those lush rows of rich soil in between your plants. They're all covered up when you mulch. But, they are under there none the less. And so, we mulch.

tomato plants and some sad looking peppers (on the right)

the back garden (potatoes, corn, green beans, dry beans, etc.)

By the way, if you live close by and would like some basil, beets or green beans please give me a call.

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Making Your Own Tahini

Do you remember a couple weeks back when I told you about my current favorite lunch? You know...tabouli and hummus on flat bread? Well, the other morning I pulled out my food processor, peeled the garlic cloves, picked the parsley and had Sadie pluck the parsley leaves. We were out of hummus and I needed more. In a couple days we were taking a day trip to a nearby lake and I was lining up our packed lunch.

I went to the fridge and before I even opened the door I remembered that when I made hummus the week before, I used the rest of the tahini. (If you remember, tahini is sesame seed paste.) Our non-chain grocery store doesn't carry tahini. In order to get more, I would have to drive all the way across town to the natural foods store. Go that far for one item? That's not me. So instead I got online and pulled up a recipe. It called for only two ingredients. Sesame seeds and olive oil. The recipe I found called for 5 cups of sesame seeds. Well, I knew I didn't have that many. Who has 5 cups of sesame seeds on hand anyway? If you do, please tell me why- I'd like to know. I scrounged around and found one cup, adjusted the recipe and commenced.

Homemade tahini

We were surprised to find that this batch of hummus (with the homemade tahini) was hardly distinguishable from previous batches. If you are lucky enough find bulk sesame seeds at a cheap price, this ends up being very cost effective in addition to saving you in a pinch.

Hummus made with homemade tahini

Tahini (adapted from About.com)
This recipe makes about 12 tbsp. of tahini, enough for two hummus recipes.

1 cup sesame seeds
about 1/3 cup olive oil

The recipe I found called for toasting the sesame seeds in the oven. Um, no. Not in the middle of summer. I sprayed my non-stick pan with cooking spray and toasted the sesame seeds over medium high heat- stiring constantly to keep them from burning. When they start to turn light brown, remove them from the heat, continuing to stir a bit until they stop toasting. Let them cool, then put them in your food processor along with 1/4 cup of olive oil. Process them, adding more olive oil if needed.

The consistency you are looking for is that of store bought tahini. If you're not sure what that is like, aim for all natural peanut butter consistency. And, if you're still not sure what I mean, try for the consistency of what creamy peanut butter becomes when it's spread on hot toast. It becomes even creamier.

Store the tahini in a jar with a tight fitting lid (in the fridge).

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"Next year we are not canning beets."

This is what I said to Jamey as we found ourselves halfway through canning 24 pints of pickled beets. If my memory serves me correctly (and I believe that it does) I told Jamey at our garden meeting (back in January) that I wanted very few, if any, beets. I like pickled beets. Don't get me wrong. I just didn't think we needed very many and was thinking ahead at all we'd having going on this summer (third child, in particular). But...

Jamey likes to plant things.

So, instead of 'very few', he pulled a bushel of beets yesterday. Here we are, surrounded by laundry, two children who have decided it's their life's purpose to pick on each other, a one month old who no longer likes sleeping during the day and umteen projects around the house we want to get done before Jamey goes back to school. And he brings in a bushel of beets. Not to mention the 10 pints left in the pantry from last year.


We canned those beets and I'm not really sure why. Maybe while Jamey has a compulsion to plant, I have one to can. I don't know. But, what I do know is that we are not canning beets next year. This time I mean it. Will you please help hold me to that? Pin It

Neighbors

You know you have wonderful neighbors when they...

~ feed your cat, water your plants and get your mail while you're away

~ check on and water your chickens if you are out of town

~ watch your children for you when you have doctor's appointments

~ give your children cookies every time they see them

~ share their concord grapes with you every September

~ warn you of strange dogs in the neighborhood

~ remember your children's birthdays and send them a card so they get mail

~ tolerate the occasional chicken that wanders into their yard

~ tolerate Marv's crowing every morning (and afternoon, and evening)

~ are willing to power wash a dirty portion of your house in exchange for baked goods

~ are willing to be on-call for child care if you go into labor

~ let you borrow tools and equipment

~ let your children ride bikes on their basketball court because you have no pavement at your house

and most of all when they...

~ rushed out of their homes and started searching the second they got word that we couldn't find Sadie.

Thank you, neighbors. You are more than neighbors. You are family.

We found Sadie (on our property) and she is fine. Pin It

Through Tears

I don't know if this happens to others or not, but it's happening to me for the third time. It happens when they are about three or four weeks old. They start smiling. Not just when they are sleeping or when they release some gas pressure or when their little cheek muscles decide to exercise their smiling abilities. It's when they start smiling because they see you. They go from aimlessly staring at the light streaming in from the window or the ceiling fan to focusing in on my face. My smile. My voice. And then...they break out into the most amazing grin. A grin for me. A grin of recognition. They see a smiling face- their mommy's face- and they smile back.

I am in the midst of Miriam's first week of this intentional smiling and thus, I am in heaven. When she smiles at me, I cannot help but get teary-eyed. This is frustrating because then I have to look at her first smiles through tears- it's harder to see to through tears and I don't want to miss a single one. I cried when my other two children started smiling at me, too. And don't get me started on the cooing. Miriam has started cooing as well and I can hardly stand it. I melt. I dissolve into awe and love and I forget the world and try my hardest to coax yet another little sound out of her little mouth.

I know. I'm sappy when it comes to my babies. This is just how I am. I will always remember gazing into my children's eyes through tears and soaking in their first grins and noises. These days I will never get back and therefore I want to never forget. Pin It

Betty, Our Fourth Broody This Year

Our fourth broody hen is named Betty after my grandmother because she enjoys watching our chickens when she comes to our house. We love it when you come, Grandma.

Betty sat on a clutch of about 10 eggs and only two chicks hatched and remained alive. Four other eggs hatched (to varying degrees) but the chicks never made it. This seems to be the trend for us. We get a couple healthy chicks and about four die in the process of hatching. I'm not sure if this is the proper ratio of dead to live chicks or if our hens (or us) are doing something wrong.

Anyway, Betty's chicks are as adorable as chicks come and they are living happily outside in the chicken tractor. More chicks are on the way. We went ahead and placed an order for more Wyandottes (this time silver-laced) in hopes of bolstering egg production so we can supply more friends.

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Just a Little Bit of Jam

Alright, I'm joking. This isn't going to be about a little bit of jam. There is actually a lot of jam involved. Back in the fall, I wrote about how I am making the favors for my little sister's wedding. Back then, I filled a third of the jars with grape jelly. You can see them here.


Our strawberries started coming the week before Miriam was born, so we crushed and froze all the ones we didn't pop into our mouths or eat in smoothies or Tishy Falou. The other morning, I thawed 5 quarts of those crushed berries and Jamey and I canned 60 4-ounce jars and 3 pints of strawberry jam.

Do you want to know our secret recipe? Do you promise you won't tell? We use the recipe that comes with the Sure-Jell box. Yep, we do. It tastes great and always sets like it's supposed to.


Those popping sounds were music to my ears. The last third will be made from the peaches of a nearby orchard later this month. I'm just not sure which orchard. I called the orchard we usually use for peaches the other day and they told me all their peaches were destroyed in a hail storm a few weeks ago. Needless to say, I'll be doing some more calling to get my hands on some peaches. If only our peach trees were already producing....

strawberry jam

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Blue Gold

This is blue gold. Did you know that this is what they are called? They are when your local blueberry farm is out after two days of pick-your-own and when you can't afford to pay what the ones they've held back to sell at the farmer's market cost.

My dear cousin dropped a quart of these off yesterday when he came to pick up milk jars (he gave us his raw milk share for the week since he was going out of town). Luckily, for everyone involved, while he was away he came upon a blueberry farm that was letting folks pick for FREE since a lot of the bushes were damaged by frost. Yeeehaw.

I love blueberries and when my eyes landed on these beauties my head was swimming with ideas of what to do with them. I've finally decided. The only thing you can do with your first quart of blueberries... pop them into your mouth and enjoy each and every one. Thank you, Conrad. Pin It

Baby Fat (Mine, Not Hers)

How well I remember trying to fit into the loose regular clothes I had packed in my hospital bag to wear home after having Sam. Maybe some women fit into their normal clothes soon after birthing, but oh my, not me. I looked 7 months pregnant and while I now know this is normal (for me), I didn't then and was absolutely mortified.

After Sadie I was more psychologically prepared, but it was still a bit of a shocker. I have all this left to deal with? I think I have more left to deal with after having babies because I have some stomach muscle issues. The issue is they are rendered useless during each pregnancy. So, by the time the babe is born, they are limp and pretty much worthless, stretched wide apart, letting the rest of the contents of my abdomen fall forward (just like my babies do toward the end of pregnancy). Too much information? Sorry.

It's a slow road from here. With Sam and Sadie I was able to get back very close, if not, to my pre-pregnancy weight. Of course, the shape of my body had changed forever, but that's inevitable in my case and I've made peace with that. The problem is that it takes a good while for me to get back into my clothes...nine months to a year. I'm a bit ashamed to say this is a problem at all. I know these things take time....

I must admit (I'm being really honest here...deep breath) I'm a bit afraid to be out in public. Now, before you scold me for caring what other people think and remind me that I just had a baby and that society has a distorted view of reality when it comes to weight and what is desirable, know that I know all this. It's just that I still look 6 months pregnant and wonder if people wonder whose newborn baby I am keeping since it can't be mine because mine is still inside the womb. It doesn't help that my sweet Sadie girl keeps asking, "You got 'nother new baby in there?"

A friend and I were talking several months ago about whether or not we'd ever consider having a tummy tuck. I would consider it if it didn't cost $6000 (yes, I checked) and if it didn't involve major surgery. And if didn't go against my at-regular-weight love-the-body-God-gave-you and do-your-best-to care-for-it-properly and feed-the-poor-and-take-care-of-the-orphans-and-widows (do you know how many Compassion kids you could sponsor with that money?) mentality.

So, let's see where we are. I'm feeling a bit mortified. I know it will be a long time before I am content with my body again. I don't want surgery. That pretty much leaves me to start avoiding sweets, try hard not to eat after dinner, drink lots of water and pick back up my walk/jog workouts and pilates.

This will mean less posts about sweets. Possibly more mood swings. The occasional binge I may need to confess. I just thought you should be warned.

And, if you've just had a baby and are feeling a bit mortified yourself? Know that you are not alone and that if we give ourselves some time, we'll be back. So look out. Pin It

Bang Bang Chicken

Jamey and I are so excited. For the first time EVER we successfully grew broccoli. For some reason, in the past our broccoli plants looked okay but never grew the edible broccoli parts. But, lookie here...


Since we are only cutting off a couple heads at a time, we don't have tons to use at once. I dislike frozen broccoli, so I don't want to waste it by freezing it. Jamey was the first to suggest we make Bang Bang Chicken (yes, this is really it's name). We used to make it a lot when we bought supermarket broccoli, but it has been years since we've done that. Without success in the garden, we've been broccoli deprived.

The recipe comes from the Mennonite cookbook, Extending the Table...A World Community Cookbook. Many of it's recipes were submitted by Mennonites serving in other countries and the recipes are from those countries. Bang Bang Chicken is a dish from China. Along with the recipe comes this explanation, "In China this dish is sold by street vendors who traditionally summoned customers by banging two sticks together; hence, the name." So now you know.

We love this dish are so thrilled to be able to make it again, newborn and all.

Bang Bang Chicken (adapted from Extending the Table- the main adaptation I make is that we triple or quadruple the sauce part of this recipe because it's so tasty. I've tripled it for you below.).
Serves 4

2 chicken breasts, cut into strips (or the equivalent amount of cooked, shredded chicken)
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tsp. ginger root or bottled ginger
1 scallion, chopped into 1 inch pieces or 1 small onion, chopped
3/4 cup water
6 tbsp. soy sauce
6 tbsp. peanut butter (creamy or chunky)
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
4 cups broccoli florets or florets and spears

If using raw chicken, saute it in a few tablespoons of oil in a large pan until almost cooked through. Add garlic, ginger and scallions or chopped onion and cook until tender. If using cooked chicken, saute the onion until tender, add the garlic and ginger and saute 1-2 minutes longer, then add the cooked chicken.

In a small bowl, combine ingredients water through vinegar. Add to the chicken mixture and stir to coat the chicken. Simmer for 5 minutes and then add the broccoli. Cover the pan and let the broccoli steam until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally to coat the broccoli.

Serve immediately over brown rice.

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Braiding Garlic

Jamey pulled our garlic the other day. We found that the right time to pull it is when some of the leaves/stems are turning brown, while most are still green. Other years, we waited until the stems were all brown. The bulbs with all brown leaves had more cloves that were already separating from the bulb and tended to sprout faster. If some of the leaves are still green, the bulbs' papery covers are more intact, keeping the cloves from splitting and sprouting as soon. I still have a braid hanging in our kitchen from a year ago. For that braid I used all bulbs with the paper still intact and they are still intact today.

When I tried braiding garlic for the first time last year, I was a bit disappointed by instructions I found on line. Maybe there are better ones out there, but I couldn't find them. It took some trial and error for me to figure it out. My braids certainly aren't perfect, but they hold the garlic together well.


Today I am writing for you what I wish I could have found- instructions with pictures (I'm a visual learner).

Braiding Garlic

Start by cleaning as much dirt as possible off of your garlic. This may mean peeling off the very outer layer of paper.  Using a scissors, trim off the roots.  I use about 15 bulbs per braid, but you can make them any size.

*Update 7/17/09*: It was two weeks ago that I braided my garlic (seen in the pictures above and below). They are holding together well, but the braid does not appear as tight as it did when I first braided them. As they dried, the braids loosened. Everything is still holding together fine, it's just the visual appearance of the braid that has changed. To maintain a tight-looking braid, let your garlic dry out for several days and braid them when the stems have gone all brown. This is what I did last year- see photo here.

garlic cleaned with roots cut off, ready for braiding

Choose three bulbs and lay them out in front of you with the leaves pointing toward you. (I find that standing at an outside table works best- this time we used two saw horses and a board.) Put the bulbs together and point the three stems in three directions- one straight toward you, one down and to the left and one down and toward the right, crossing the ones going left and right.

Now, the rhythm of this goes something like this... 1) add a new bulb, keeping it tight against the other three and placing it's stem in the middle with the stem already pointing toward you. 2) cross the left stem over and into the middle (as if you were braiding hair), making sure that where it crosses over is right up against the bulbs 3) add another bulb, keeping the bulb right up against the others (even over-lapping a bit) and add it's stem to the stem(s) in the middle


4) cross the right stem(s) over and into the middle 5) add another bulb adding it's stem to the middle group 6) repeat steps 2-5 over and over. You cross over from the left, add a new one to the center, cross over from the right, add a new one to the (new) center, cross over from the left, add a new one to the (new) center, cross over from the right, etc.


The key is to add each new bulb's stems to the middle each time, remembering that the middle group of stems is always changing- you are not repeatedly adding the new stems to the same group of stems.

Once your braid is long enough or you've run out of garlic, continue to braid the stems just as you would hair until you run out of stems or until it's long enough for you. Tie off the end tightly with twine. You can also tie the stems tightly just below the bulbs (where the bulbs meet the stems) to keep them tight against each other.




We used a couple different kinds of garlic together in these braids- some hard necks and some soft.

I really hope this was helpful and not too confusing. If you find that you catch-on midway through a braid, take it apart carefully and do it over- it will be worth it. These three braids we hung in our kitchen. They last all year long. As you need a bulb, just snip it off, close to the bulb, starting from the bottom of the braid. Once you've used all the bulbs, you're left with a very pretty dried braid. Perfect for turning that scarecrow of yours into a female scarecrow:-). Pin It